Normally, when you get a headache or injury you can pop a few pain pills and hardly miss a beat. However, when you are pregnant, everything you do can impact that precious, growing baby. While mothers are famous for being self-sacrificing and willing to do anything to keep from harming their baby, you shouldn’t have to suffer through severe pain during your pregnancy. Luckily, there are safe ways to combat your pain during pregnancy.

Take Safe Pain Medication

Most doctors would agree that some over-the-counter pain medications can be taken safely during pregnancy. While you should never take any medication without getting the green light from your doctor, acetaminophen is generally considered safe. Your doctor might also approve ibuprofen or naproxen during the first half of your pregnancy. 

However, they are generally not recommended after 20 weeks because of the risk of hemorrhaging during delivery and causing kidney problems for the baby. Bottom line: always ask your doctor before taking any medication!

Try Drug-Free Remedies

Of course, pregnancy is the perfect time to try out holistic pain relief techniques. Massage therapy, hot or cold compresses, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and acupressure are all safe options to try. 

Additionally, going to a chiropractor can help you ease pain during pregnancy without drugs. Chiropractic spinal manipulation can effectively treat lower back pain, a common complaint during pregnancy.

Treat the Cause, Not the Symptom

When you are pregnant it’s more important than ever to pay close attention to your body’s cues. One of the dangers of having such convenient pain remedies available is that we can easily pop a pill and ignore the underlying causes. However, when you take the time to listen to your body and find out what it’s trying to tell you, you can usually treat the cause of your pain rather than the symptom. Maybe you are overworking yourself and need to take it easy. Maybe your headaches are caused by mild dehydration. Maybe you need to tweak your sleeping position or go to bed earlier. Maybe you need to wear more comfortable shoes for now. Treating the underlying cause is always more effective and less risky than turning to a quick fix like pain meds. 

Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you should have to live with pain. First, try to diagnose the cause of your pain and address that first. If that doesn’t work, talk to your doctor for some suggestions. No one should suffer needlessly when there are plenty of safe remedies available. 

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